Old school saunas rediscovered amidst an overstimulated world

When looking to purchase a cabin or lake cottage, there’s usually a laundry list of considerations: view, number of bedrooms, state of the roof, whether neighbors have a dog kennel or shooting range, etc. What often doesn’t make the consideration cut is sauna. Truth be told, there are many cabins, cottage, lake homes that have neglected saunas. Musty dark outbuildings where sauna benches are buried in water toys and a changing room that’s become a storage area for an old boat motor that leaks oil at about the same rate as the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor.

How sad.

Sauna is an old world, old school tradition. A nod to family togetherness and simpler times past, void of gadgetry and over scheduling. These neglected old school saunas are quietly sitting by lake shores ready for a comeback. Because many of us are choosing to say “no” to the fast paced bullshit world, these saunas have become havens.

We are tuning into many deeper, stronger, more meaningful values from our Grandparents era.

Sauna session with three generations: 80 year age span.

Cooking dinner from scratch ingredients.

A board game by candlelight.

Time spent at lake places don’t require the label “quality time.” Those that enjoy their lake places spend all day with quality time, and thus don’t need this label. As a matter of fact, quality time is a guilty term used by smart phone tethered overstimulated, overworked foot soldiers slugging it out for the fastest lane on the crowded highway, a decent parking spot at a shopping mall, or the new policy demanding cover sheets on TPS reports.

Those that have tapped into the values of old school lake living have rediscovered underused saunas, and the wonderful timelessness of:

simplicity.

health & wellness.

family bonding.

relaxation.

As a grandchild on the dock is known to ask, “who’se ready for another round?”